Method of manufacturing an escapement lever for a timepiece

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing an escapement lever for a timepiece, characterized by blanking out the lever of a metal sheet, the pallets being made integral with the body of the lever, depositing electroless nickel on to the whole piece and subjecting the lever to a finishing operation carried out so as to obtain cold rolled properties in the layer of chemical nickel, this finishing operation determining the final dimensions of the lever, to which the pallet arbor and the safety-pin are then secured.

United States Patent 1 3,694,885 Simon-Vermot [4 1 Oct. 3, 1972 [54] METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN 3,335,562 8/1967 Schneider ..58/122 ESCAPEMENT LEVER FOR A 3,48l,l40 12/1969 Tuetey ..29/178 X TIMEPIECE 3,51 L340 5/l970 Simon-Vermot ..58/121 A [72] inventor: Andre Simon-Vermot, be Locle, Primary Examiner ]ohn R Campbell Swtzefland Assistant Examiner-Victor A. Di Palma 731 Assignee: Les Fabriques d'Assortiments Reu- Alwmeylmirle & Smiley nies Legbocle, Neuchatel, Switzerland 57 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Ju|y 2, 1970 A method of manufacturing an escapement lever for a timepiece, characterized by blanking out the lever of a PP N 2,093 metal sheet, the pallets being made integral with the body of the lever, depositing electroless nickel on to the whole piece and subjecting the lever to a finishing [30] Foreign Apphcmon Pnomy Data operation carried out so as to obtain cold rolled proy 1969 z rl n --l 7/ 9 perties in the layer of chemical nickel, this finishing operation determining the final dimensions of the [52] US. Cl. ..29/177, 58/ 121 R lever, to which the pallet arbor and the safety-pin are [51] Int. Cl. ..B23p 13/00 then secured. [58] Field of Search...29/l77; 58/l 16, 121 A, 121 R, 58/122 [56] References Cited 4 Claims, No Drawings UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1895 Hart .'...29/l78 METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ESCAPEMENT LEVER FOR A TIMEPIECE escapement in a satisfactory manner. Tests have shown that better results can be obtained in this respect by replacing the ruby of the pallets by a body consisting of so-called electroless nickel, the composition of which is, in fact, an alloy of nickel and phosphorus con taining 3.5 to l 1.5 percent of phosphorus, the rest being formed by nickel.

Obtaining this alloy by chemical way is relatively long and machining the same to obtain pallets is rather delicate.

The present invention aims at overcoming these drawbacks. It relates to a method of manufacturing an escapement lever for a timepiece, which is broadly characterized by blanking out the lever of a metal sheet, the pallets being made integral with the body of the lever, chemically depositing electroless nickel on to the whole piece, and then subjecting the lever to a finishing operation carried out so as to obtain cold rolled properties in the layer of electroless nickel, this finishingoperation determining the final dimensions of the lever, to which the pallet arbor and the safety-pin are then secured.

The metal sheet of which the lever is blanked out may consist, for example, of brass or steel.

The electroless nickel is deposited on the piece by chemical way, by dipping the piece into a suitable bath. The thickness of the coating is preferably less than 50 The rolling or laminating effect obtained by the finishing operationv guarantees a better adhesion of the coating.

The electroless nickel is not self-lubricating, but has a low coefficient of friction and a high hardness, this representing favorable features. It must be lubricated in order that the escapement operates in a satisfactory manner.

Possibly, the completed lever may be subjected to a heat-treatment at about 800 C so as to increase the hardness of the coating of electroless nickel by precipitation of a phase.

The manufacture of the lever described is inexpensive and the thus obtained lever guarantees a reliable operation and a long working life of the escape ment.

What I claim is:

l. A method of manufacturing a timepiece escapement lever including pallets, a pallet arbor and a safetypin, comprising the steps of: blanking out the lever from a metal sheet, making the pallets integral with the body of the lever, chemically depositing electroless nickel on to the whole piece, subjecting the lever to a fine blanking operation to obtain cold rolled properties in the layer of electroless nickel to determine the final dimensions of the lever, and securing the pallet arbor and the safety-pin to the lever.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized by depositing the electroless nickel by dipping the piece into a suitable bath.

. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the coating of electroless nickel is less than 50 p..

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized by subjecting the completed lever to a heat-treatment, in order to increase the hardness of the coating of electroless nickel.

easy and 

1. A method of manufacturing a timepiece escapement lever including pallets, a pallet arbor and a safety-pin, comprising the steps of: blanking out the lever from a metal sheet, making the pallets integral with the body of the lever, chemically depositing electroless nickel on to the whole piece, subjecting the lever to a fine blanking operation to obtain cold rolled properties in the layer of electroless nickel to determine the final dimensions of the lever, and securing the pallet arbor and the safety-pin to the lever.
 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized by depositing the electroless nickel by dipping the piece into a suitable bath.
 3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of the coating of electroless nickel is less than 50 Mu .
 4. A method according to claim 1, characterized by subjecting the completed lever to a heat-treatment, in order to increase the hardness of the coating of electroless nickel. 